Air conditioning apparatus



March 28, 1933. ss 1,903,137

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 11. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Y J A TTORNEY.

March 28, 1933. 1., P. REISS AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 11. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 This- EIE B [:LC I El .2 g? a I M m m m A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1933 PATENT OFFICE LOUIS P. REISS, OF DALLAS, TEXAS AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to air conditioning machines and apparatus and it has particular reference to that type of apparatus employing as its air cooling agent, water, ice or both. The principal object of the invention resides in a combination of novel elements cooperating to constrain air currents to move through a confined area and in elevating and aerating water and continuously re-circulating the same, during which process the air becomes thoroughly washed to continuously displace the air within a room or building and maintain the same at a comfortable temperature.

The invention further seeks to provide in an air conditioning machine a water elevating mechanism, combined with a diffusing means calculated to bring about maximum dispensation of the water in the entire area through which air currents are constrained to pass, to thereby effect maximum evaporation and consequent lowering of the temperature of the air expelled from the machine.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel construction of the principal elements of the machine which are namely, the

fluid elevating means, the difiusing means and eliminators which make for compactness in construction, maximum efliciency in operation and-performance and noiseless operation, which is a. desideratum in a machine of this character, and which is a valuable asset particularly when the same is adapted for use in residences, oifices, hospitals and other places where quietness is either desirable or necessary.

Yet another object of the invention resides in its adaptability for using artificial ice for further'lowering the temperature of. the air in circulation and when so used, the arrange ment is such that maximum results may be obtained through the provision of contact plates or fins of high conductivity defining air passages and further provided with moisture arresting burrs, which aids in bringing about the lowering of the moisture content of the expelled air. 1

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts which will become manifest 1931. Serial No. 543,574.

as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of cabinet in which the elements of the ihvention may be contained.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the cabinet, showing the fluid elevating arrangement.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view of one form of the air washing and eliminator unit.

Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the air circulating fan.

Figure 5 is a view on lines 55 of Figure 8, showing in fragmentary section the fluid elevating means.

Figure 6 is also a fragmentary view in per- 1sipective of the series of spaced conductor ns.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section in elevation showing the preferred arrangement embodying the invention.

Figure 8 is a view on lines 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic section of the preferred form of fluid distributing element.

Figure 10 is a similar view of a modified form of fluid distributing element, and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view on lines ll-11 of Figure 7 Continuing more in detail with the drawings, 1 designates a cabinet which may obviously be of any design but preferably of different designs to suit the requirements under different conditions. For instance, when the machine is used in residences, it is desirable that the cabinet be possessed of certain ornamental embellishments to adapt the same to the other furnishings. On the other hand, a very plain cabinet can be employed when the machine is used in ofiice buildings or even in shops or factories.

With reference to Figure 7, it will be noted that a water reservoir 2 is provided in the top of the machine, below which there is a temporary fluid receiving chamber 3, one end of which is in communication with an ice chamber 4 at a while a cover 5 is provided for the ice chamber 4.

It may be here stated however, that it is not intended that the invention shall be limited to the specific use of artificial ice as an added cooling agent, nor is it considered necessary in all cases to even include the ice chamber 4 in the construction of the invention, it being shown merely to illustrate how the machine is constructed, should an added cooling agent be required or desirable.

Within the open area, which may be identified by the character A in Figure 7 is a fluid reservoir 6 having an overflow pipe 7 which communicates with an overflow reservoir 8 immediately below the reservoir 6. The purpose of this reservoir 8 is to receive surplus fluid from the ice chamber 4, receptacle 2 or the auxiliary fluid receiving chamber 3 and to keep the fluid level in the reservoir 6 fixed.

A valve and float arrangement is provided to maintain the fixed fluid level in the reservoir 6 and continuously replenish the same with fluid as it evaporates. This arrangement consists of a vertical rod 9 having a float 10 on its lower end which operates in i a guide 11. An arm 12 has one end connected to the upper end of the rod 9 and is pivoted at b, so that its opposite end will be raised and lowered as the fluid level in the reservoir 6 varies. A valve 13 is carried by the free end of the arm 12 and is in control of an opening 14-, which communicates the receptacle 2 with the auxiliary fluid chamber 3. With the arrangement just described, it is obvious that as the fluid level in the reservoir 6 recedes, the float 10 will fall, thereby pulling the rod 9 downward and accordingly rocking the arm 12 to lift the valve 13, thereby opening the port 14, at which time fluid from the receptacle 2 will enter the chamber3.

It is understood that fluid is constantly circulated through chamber 3, by being first elevated into said chamber and caused to pass downward through two avenues, namely, the depending pipe 15, and through the port a at the top of the air washin and eliminator unit to which a reference c aracter will be later applied.

A shaft 17 extends longitudinally through the open area A and is driven directly from the armature shaft of an electric motor 18. This motor is mounted upon a support 19, aflixed to the floor of the reservoir 6. Upon the opposite end of the shaft is situated an air circulating fan 20 and the shaft 17 is journaled in a bearing 21, disposed immediately behind the fan 20.

It will be noted thateither end of the opening A has a foraminous covering 22, which may be galvanized screen wire or noncorrosive grill of any suitable design, although it is desirable that the opening therein be of such size as to allow for maximum volume of air.

It is of particular importance to note that the peculiar arrangement of parts of which the invention is composed makes it unnecessary for the utilization of power of any character, aside from the driving means for the shaft 17, to elevate the fluid from the reservoir 6 to the chamber 3, preparatory to introducing the same through the pipe 15 into the distributing element 16. The novel means by which this is accomplished includes a wheel 23 having an annular channel 24 in which there are a series of spaced partitions 25.

It will be noted in Figure 7 that this wheel is partially submerged in the fluid contained in the reservoir 6 and is affixed upon the shaft 17 so that when the latter is rotated at a high speed, the fluid is caught up and carried in a stream in a circular manner and constrained by a segmental trough 26 to pass Enough the opening 27 in the fluid cham- A triangular deflecting plate 28 is provided above the opening 27, against which the fluid is impinged as it is elevated by the groove wheel 23. From this point, some of the fluid passes downward through the depending pipe 15 between the distributing unit 16, and a portion of the fluid passes downward through opening a over the combination air washing and eliminator unit referred to.

Thus there is a continuous stream of fluid passing from the supply in the reservoir 6 to the chamber 3 as long as the machine is in operation and thereis a suflicient amount of fluid within the superimposed receptacle 2.

When the supply in the receptacle 2 becomes depleted, it may be again filled through the filler cap 29.

The foregoing description clearly defines the manner in which the fluid is continuously re-circulated and distributed so that the air passing through the area 8 might become thoroughly washed. In this connection, reference is made to the air washing and eliminator unit shown in Figure 3 and referred to in the foregoing. This unit is comprised of a series of horizontally disposed and spaced troughs 30, the upper edges of which are turned slightly inward as indicated at 0 and function to intercept the entrained moisture in the current of air passing through the unit.

The secondary or final eliminator shown in Figure 6 iscomprised of a series of horizontally spaced, vertically disposed fins 31.

-These fins are preferably constructed of copinto which the water from the melting ice drains and is distributed the full length of the trough, to thereby drain into the series of communicating pipes 32, back into the reservoir 6, whence it is conveyed upward into the temporary fluid compartment 3 and recirculated in the manner previously explained. The cold Water from the ice chamher 4 passing downward through the pipes 32 causes moisture to condense upon the surfaces of the pipes 32.. In Figure 11 is shown -the relatively spaced pipes taken on a plane 1111 of Figure 7. The several arrows in Figure 11 indicate the direction in which the air is moving in circulation as it is impelled by the action of the fan 20. The air moving against the pipes 32 at high velocity isdeflected when it impinges the vertical pipes 32, but the moisture entrained in the air currents have a tendency to travel in a straight path and are not as readily deflected as are the air currents. Accordingly, the moisture in condensed form is intercepted by the inwardly turned edges of the vertically disposed deflector strips 34 and thereby allowed to return toits original source, the receptacle 6, wlthout interference. The air however, continues and is further deflected by impinging against the fins 35, thence through the fan and out of the machine.-

Due to the high conductivity of the fins 31, moisture condensation occurs'also on the surfaces thereof and to dispense with which, burrs 36 are provided upon their exposed edges. It is important to note that the lower portions of the fins 31 recede toward the vertically disposed pipes 32 and terminate on a plane with the integral 'annularly disposed fins 35. This is borne out in Figure 7. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow condensed moisture to trickle back into the reservoir 6 without being interfered with by the passage of air between the fins and out through theforaminous opening 22 at the forward end of the open area A.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in addition to the air Washing and cooling process, as described, further cooling occurs after the air has passed through the ,unit 30 by reason of its contact with the pipes 32, deflector units 34= and the fins 31, the latter being super-chilled by reason of their direct contact with the ice chamber 4.

Referring now to Figures 9 and' 10 showing the preferred and a modified form of the fluid distributing element respectively, it will be noted that the preferred form shown in Figure 9 has a double discharge although there is only a single pipe 15 leading from the auxiliary fluid compartment 3. The peculiar operation of the distributing unit is obtained through the medium of the novel construction of the spool shaped hub 36, the said hub having an annular concaved surface upon which the fluid from pipe 15 initially impinges. The

fact that the point in the hub initially receiving the fluid is lower than either end thereof, the rapid rotation imparted thereto causes the fluid to move toward the ends of the hub and against the outer surfaces of the hollow disc shaped members 37, generally indiasted by the character 16. Due to the fact thatfhe members 37 are rotated at a rapid rate of speed, the fluid entering the same through the annular openings 03 adjacent the hub 36, is thrown centrifugally outward through the apertures e in the peripheries thereof and which impinges the inner walls defining the open area A to thereby wash the air passing through the said opening A.

The modified form of the arrangement shown in Figure 9 embodies only a single disc and in view of the great similarity between the two structures, the same reference characters will be used to designate analogous parts. The operation is substantially the same, aside from the fact that the pipe 15, instead of coming straight down is turned inwardly to enter the annular opening d to introduce water into the disc member 37, to throw the same centrifugally outward so that it will pass through the openings e and impinge the walls of the passage through the machine. Due to the fact that a considerable spray is created by the action of the fluid distributing member just described, a shield 38 is provided on the shaft 17 to prevent water from entering the motor 18.

Manifestly, the construction shown iscapable of considerable modification and such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioning machine including a housing, a fluid reservoir and a superimposed fluid receptacle, a shaft, means carried by said shaft for transferring fluid from said reservoir to said receptacle in a continuous circular stream, a diffusing disc also carried by said shaft, means for continuously feeding fluid by gravity to said diffusing disc during rotation of said shaft, a fan carried by said shaft and means disposed between said fan and said fluid transferring means for separating moisture from the air currents during their passage through said machine.

2. An air conditioning machine including a longitudinally arranged motor driven shaft carrying a fan, a fluid reservoir, a superimposed fluid receptacle, an overflow reservoir, means carried by said shaft for elevating fluid from said fluid reservoir and discharging the same against the force of gravity into said fluid receptacle with a series of rapid rotary movements, fluid diffusing means also carried by said shaft and receiving fluid by gravity from said fluid receptacle whereby to centrifugally distribute said fluid over the area through which air currents are constrained to pass and means disposed forwardly of said fluid elevating means for removing the moisture content from the air in circulation.

3. An air conditioning machine including a rotary motor driven shaft having a fan thereon, a fluid reservoir and a superimposed fluid receptacle provided with an outlet, means for elevating fluid from said reservoir to said receptacle, means carried by said shafts and disposed beneath the outlet of said fluid receptacle and against which fluid is impinged and operating to centrifugally distribute the fluid throughout the area through which air is constrained to pass when excited by the action of said fan and means for removing the moisture content of said air prior to its passage out of said machine. Y

4. An air conditioning machine, a rotary motor driven shaft, a fluid reservoir having an overflow chamber, separated compartments above said fluid reservoir arranged to contain ice and fluid, means operating to elevate fluid from said reservoir to said fluid chamber, means for receiving fluid from said fluid chamber and centrifugally discharging the same, aseries of relatively parallel conductor fins having connection with said ice compartment and depending into the area through which air is constrained to pass through said machine and means for creating and maintaining air circulation through said machine.

5. In a machine of the character described, a fluid reservoir anda fluid receptacle arranged above said reservoir, a fluid elevating means including a partially submerged rotary member, a segmental trough through which said rotary member passes and which communicates with an opening in said fluid receptacle, means for creating and maintaining continuous circulation of air through said machine and fluid elevating means and means adjacent said elevating means operating to receive fluid from said receptacle and centrifugally discharge the same throughout the area through which said air is constrained to pass in circulation.

6. In a machine of the character described, a series of superimposed chambers, certain of said chambers being arranged to contain fluid, means open to the passage of air and operating to lift fluid from one chamher to another by rapid rotary movements, fluid distributing means adjacentsaid liftmg means, and means for creating and maintaining circulation of air through said machine, a series of relatively parallel elements disposed in the path of said jair in circulation and a series of fins connected to one of said chambers and depending within the area through which said air is constrained to ass.

7 A machine of the character described ing and removing the moisture content from the air in circulation prior to its discharge from said machine and a series of relatively spaced conductor fins having connection to one of said chambers and depending in parallel relationship with said moisture removing means within the area throu h which said air in circulation is constraine to pass.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LOUIS P. REISS. 

